Do’s and Don’ts

Newly produced face-mounted photographic prints feature perfectly clear, smooth acrylic surfaces. Cleaning these integral but vulnerable surfaces poses a high risk of mechanical damage, which increases with every repetition. We tested the mechanical impact of dry-cleaning to optimize the cleaning process of face-mounted artworks at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf. We used four different microfibre cloths on one acrylic common in the production of face-mounted photographs. One additional option consisted of an antistatic silicone roller used for preliminary cleaning on one half of the plates. The plates were contaminated with street particulate soiling and fingerprint stains. All glasses were cleaned in either circular or straight wiping motions. The plates were photographed in dark field to document any side effects of cleaning involving scratches, smudges, and the static charge of the acrylic after cleaning. The microfibre cloth SM 711 in combination with the silicone roller performed best in the test. However, the same cloth, pre-used and washed, significantly increased scratch formation. These findings provide effective and safe recommendations for risk-minimized future cleaning procedures for face-mounted photographs.